Liner folding device



Feb. 27, 1934. J. l.. FERGUSON 1,948,657

. LINER FOLDING DEvIcE Filed July 23. 1930 3 sheets-sheet 1 y ,bn/enfo r:

4 l By Feb. 27, 1934. J. l.. FERGUSON y 1,948,657

. LINER FOLDING DEVICE Filed July as, 1930 s sheets-sheet 2 Feb. l27, 1934.

J..| FERGUSON LINER FOLDING DEVICE Filed July 25. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patentes Feb.v 27, 19344 UNITED STATES LINER FOLDING DEVICE John Lee Ferguson, Joliet, Ill., assignor to J. L.

Ferguson Company, Illinois Joliet, lll., a corporation of `...Application July z3, 1930. seal No. '410,091

20 Claims.

It is now common practice vto use moisture proof inner linings for containers in which certain materials are packed. These inner linings are usually made of waxed paper or similar thin,

moisture proof, andA often transparent or translucent material, in the form of a bag of such dimensions that it will llt snugly 'inside the empty container, and of such length that the open end may be folded together and glued to form a moisture proof container lining after the material has been inserted therein.

Heretofore, it has been necessary to fold and seal the inner linings, by hand, independently of the container flaps which are folded automatically in their passage through a suitable container sealer. This method is laborious, expensive, unsanitary and generally unsatisfactory.

In my invention I provide an eiilcient method, and automatic means for practicing the method of folding land sealing the lining and container simultaneously, during the passage of the filled packages through a container sealer. Furthermore, by the use of my method, the linings are uniformly and accurately sealed in such manner that the lining is secured in the container by being glued between the flaps.

' My invention may be built into and form an integral part of a container sealer, or it may be in the form of a small, compact, self-contained unit which may be easily attached to and used in connection with existing container Sealers. In the latter case,especially` it is desirable to fold th lining and container simultaneously irr such manner that the-position of the lining will not interfere with the application of adhesive to the container flaps.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specications and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device in connection with the glue roller and supporting parts of a container sealer;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on a line corresponding'substantially to line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the opening and folding members in cooperative position with a container; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the open containers, a portion being broken away to better illustrate the lining.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the embodiment shown comprises a frame 1, on` which all of the component parts are assembled to form a unit which is supported on the side frames 2 and 3 of a container sealer. 'The side frames also support a pair of glue rollers 4 mounted in bearings 5 and 6, and which may be constantly driven from any desired power source by means of a bevel gear 7.

The unit comprises opening devices for opening the side fiaps, and other members for simultaneously closing the end flaps or ears so that the lining will automatically be folded outwardly and inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position they are held by the rotating lenciflap folding means until the container passes under a retaining guide and roller from which it passes under the glue roller, and from which latter the flaps receive an adhesive and are later folded and sealed by the usual container sealer K folders which are not shown in the present instance.

The containers are-carried on the usual container sealer conveyors and move consecutively through the machine in the direction ,of the arrow in Figure 1, Where their position is indicated by dotted lines.

The folder unit includes a transverse shaft 8 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 1 and driven from a shaft 9 through' a pair of bevel gears 10 The folding means also includes rotary and oscillating folder members driven from the shaft 8, and which cooperate with the flaps of the moving containers, and it is, therefore, obvious that their movement must be synchronized with the speed of the container. It is, therefore, vdesirable; though" not essential, that the drive shaft 9 be driven from a suitable power source connected with the container conveyor.

The filled containers are passed under and adjacent the folding unit, and during their movement the side flaps 1l of the container l2, together with the lining 13, are folded outwardly as shown in Fig. 3, by spaced rotary folder arms 14 and 15, which rotate in opposite directions and are secured to longitudinal shafts 16 and 17, respectively. These shafts are supported in bearings in the frame 1, and the shaft 16 is driven from the transverse shaft 8 by beveled gears 18, and the shaft 1'7 is driven from the same shaft by beveled gears 19.

The rear end flap 20 and the liningadjacent thereto are folded inwardly and simultaneously with the outward folding of the side flaps 11, by means of horizontally rotating folder and retaining blades 21 and 22 secured to vertical shafts.

23 and 24, respectively. The shaft 23 is driven from the side folder shaft 16 through beveled gears 25, a vertical stub shaft 26 and gears 2'7 and 28 on the shafts 26 and 23, respectively. In a similar manner the shaft 24 is driven from the side folder shaft 17 by a transmission comprising a pair of bevel gears 29, a stub shaft 30, and gears 31 and 32 on the shafts 30 and 24, respectively.

The rotary movement of the end folder plates is considerably faster than the forward movement of the container. Therefore, the end flap 20 will be folded inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, simultaneously with the outward folding of the side aps by the arms 14 and 15, by means of the upturned ends 33 of the folder plates, and during the continued rotation of the latter, they will pass over the outwardly folded side flaps l1 and retain them in position to pass under the retaining guide plate 34, which latter is provided with upturned edges 35 for guiding the flaps thereunder. The plate 34 is secured .to a tongue or guide extension 36, which latter is Supported on shaft 39 by means of a bearing bracket 37 thereon. The extension guide 36 extends forwardly in alignment with the moving containers for the purpose of retaining'the folded end flaps in position to pass under the glue rollers, after which the side flaps are folded inwardly, thereby sealing the container by'any suitable folding mechanism.

The side flaps are also held in position to pass under the glue roller, and the lining is pressed snugly in the position shown in Fig.. 3, by means of the rollers 38 on the shaft 39, which latter is driven from the shaft 8 by means of gears 40.

The glue rollers 4 are so positioned, relative to the path of the moving container, that substantially all of that portion of the'liner overhangingthe side flaps l1 together with the exposed portion of the side flaps is coated with adhesive during the passage of the container u: .der

the glue rollers. It has been found unnecessary to apply adhesive to the end flaps 20 and 20a and no adhesive is applied to that portion of the side flaps under the overhanging liner. The adhesive dries very quickly and has no tendency to get on the material in the container. However, when desired, the end flaps 20 and 20a may be made to overlap and completely close the container.

In order that the front end flap 20a may be folded simultaneously with the operations previously described, I provide an oscillating arm 4l pivoted at 42 and extending downwardly to engage and fold the container flaps 20a when the arm is moved to a position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the forward movement of the container and the rearward movement of the arm 41 cooperating to fold the end flap 20a simultaneously with the folding of all of the other flaps. These synchronized folding operations assure the accurate and uniform folding of the inner lining 13;

The arm 41 is provided with a forwardly extending shoe or tongue 43 for the purpose of retaining the end flaps in folded position and guiding them under the retaining plate 34. The arm is operated and synchronized relative to the other operating parts of the device by means of a cam 44 secured on the shaft 8 and cooperating with a roller 45 on a link 46. which`latter is pivoted at 47 on the arm 41. The roller 45 .iS hdd in engagement with the cam, and the arm 41 is moved rearwardly by a spring 48 secured thereto, and the link 46 is guided by the shaft 8 in a slot 49.

In operation the containers are supported on suitable chairs 50, as shown in Fig. 3. These chairs are of the usual type and secured in spaced relation on the usual container sealer conveyor chains, as shown in my United States Patents Nos. 1,423,095 and 1,423,096. During the passage of the containers through the sealer, the folding arms 14 and 15, and the folding and retaining plates 21 and 22 are constantly rotated, and the movements of these arms, together with the oscillation of the arm 41, are so synchronized with the consecutively-moving containers that each container, with its associated lining, is folded as shown in Fig. 3. After being glued with the flaps in this position, the side flaps are folded. inwardly by the usual folder, thus cementing the folded ends of the lining securely between the end and side flaps.

The containers are usually inverted for filling, and the folding operation, as described, is performed on the bottom so that when the containers are opened from the top thevpreviously sealed end of the inner lining is disclosed, the bottom of the lining being secured in the container as described.

The physical embodiment shown and described may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I desire, therefore, to be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is:

1. 'Ihe method of sealing lled containers having unattached liners therein, comprising simultaneously folding the side flaps and adjacent unattached portions of the. lining outwardly, and the end flaps and adjacent unattached portions of the lining inwardly, then applying adhesive to the exposed portions of the side flaps and overhanging portions of the lining, then folding the side flaps inwardly to cause the lining to be sealed therebetween.

2. The method of sealing `lined containers of the character described having unattached liners therein, comprising folding the end flaps with a portion of the unattached lining thereunder and simultaneously folding the side flaps and unattached lining outwardly so that when the side flaps are' sealed a portion of the lining will be between the end flaps and one of the side flaps and the opposite portion of the lining will be between the side flaps.

3. The method of folding container aps and unattached lining for passage through a sealer, comprising simultaneously folding some of the aps and juxtaposed portions of the lining outwardly and some of the flaps and juxtaposed portions of the lining inwardly to a horizontal plane so that portions of the lining are folded upon themselves and on the outturned flaps and portions of the lining are under the inturned flaps.

4. A unit for manipulating container aps and unattached lining for passage through a sealer, comprising a plurality of synchronized moving members for simultaneously folding the end aps and juxtaposed portions of the lining inwardly and side flaps and juxtaposed lining outwardly.

5. A unit for manipulating container flaps and unattached lining for passage through a sealer.

comprising a plurality ofsynchronized moving members for simultaneously folding the lining and one set of opposed flaps inwardly and the lining and another set of opposed iiaps out- Wardly.

6. The combination with a container sealer having an adhesive applying means, a combined container and lining folding device for folding container flaps and unattached linings comprising a self-contained unit having means thereon for folding the ilaps together with juxtaposed portions of the lining of consecutively moving containers in opposite directions, means for synchronously controlling said folding operations, and means for guiding said folded iiaps adjacent said adhesive applying means.

7. A device of thecharacter described comprising a plurality. ofixneans for foldingmoving container flaps simultaneously with unattached linings in opposite directions, means for synchronizing the folding operations, and means for retaining said fiaps and lining in folded position during the further movement of said container.

8. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of means for folding the flaps of moving containers, together with juxtaposed portions of the unattached lining in opposite directions for passage through a sealer, means for synchronously driving all of said means, said folding means being arranged to hold said aps in folded relation during further movement of said containers.

9. A device for folding the flaps and unattached linings of moving containers, comprising a plurality of meansl for folding said flaps and juxtaposed portions of saidl linings in opposite directions, said means cooperating with said flaps to fold the linings diagonally across the corners thereof. A

10. A device of the character described c omprising a plurality of combined container flap and unattached lining folding means, one of said means arranged to fold a side flap and the adjacent portion of the unattached lining outwardly, and another of said means arranged to fold an end flap and the adjacent portion of the unattached lining inwardly, both of said last means cooperating to fold said lining diagonally simulglue roller for applyingV adhesive to the folded flaps of consecutively moving cartons, a plurality of means rotating in a horizontal plane for folding end flaps and linings, means rotating in a vertical plane for folding side flaps and linings, voscillating means for holding end iiaps and linings, all of said means cooperating to fold said flaps rectangularly and to simultaneously fold said lining octagonaliy.

13. The process of sealing filled containers and unattached liners comprising simultaneously folding container naps and lining in a manner to cause portions of the liner to be interset between theilaps during the folding,A ,and applying adhesive during the folding to simultaneously seal the container and lining.

said carton having four ilaps at one end thereof and said lining having-a rectangular tubular portion lying adjacent and inside of said flaps, said method comprising exerting pressure on two opposite aps to press them toward each other Kand against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold the 11a-ps and juxtaposed liningportions toward each other and exerting pressure against the inside of the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the other two aps to spread these portions.

15. A method of folding a carton and lining, said carton having four flaps at one end thereof and said lining having a rectangular tubular portion lying adjacent and inside of said iiaps, said method comprising exerting pressure on two opposite flaps to press them toward each other and against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold the flaps and juxtaposed lining portions toward each other and simultaneously exerting pressure against the inside of the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the other two flaps to spread these portions.

16. Apparatus for folding a carton and lining, said carton having four flaps at one end thereof and said lining having a rectangular tubular portion lying adjacent and inside of the flaps, said apparatus comprising means for exerting pressure on two opposite flaps to press them toward eachV other and against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold said aps and juxtaposed lining portions toward each other, and means for exerting pressure against the inside of the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the other two flaps to spread these portions.

17. Apparatus for folding a carton and lining, said carton having four aps at one end thereof and said lining having a rectangular tubular portion lying adjacent and insideof the flaps, said apparatus comprising means for exerting pressure on two opposite flaps to press them toward each other and against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold said flaps and juxtaposed lining 14. A method of folding a carton and lining,

other and against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold said flaps and juxtaposed lining portions toward each other, and means for exerting pressure against the insidemf the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the other two flaps to spread these portions, said second pressure exerting means comprising a pressure exerting member rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the last said aps. A

19. Apparatus for folding a carton and lining, said carton having four flaps at one end thereof and said lining having a rectangular .tubular portion lying adjacent and inside of the flaps, Said apparatus comprising means for exerting pressure on two opposite flaps to press them toward each other and against the juxtaposed portions of the lining to fold said flaps and juxtaposed lining portions toward each other, and means for exerting. pressure against the inside of the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the Vlother two flaps to spread these portions, said first pressure portions toward each other, and means for exerting pressure against the inside of the tubular lining at portions juxtaposed to the other two aps to spread these portions, said first pressure exerting means comprising a pressure exerting member rotatable about a vertical axis and said second pressure exerting means comprising -a pressure exerting member rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the last said aps.

JOHN LEE FERGUSON. 

